MADURAIThe construction of a retaining wall in Naganakulam tank on New Natham Road by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has led to apprehension that it will affect the waterbody’s storage.
According to a senior NHAI official, this is a necessary step to strengthen the road for construction of an elevated highway. Naganakulam is to be one of the entry and exit points on the New Natham Road arm of this 7.3-km highway project.
Public Works Department has issued a ‘no-objection’ certificate for utilising an area of 10 feet into the tank. Senior officials from both these organisations claim that this alteration will not affect the overall storage capacity. However, residents are concerned as a visible artificial bund has been created to restrict the storage area.
Residents of nearby areas, including Narayanapuram, Bank Colony and Sri Nagar, say they are concerned about the long-term effects of this encroachment and fear that they will soon lose an important groundwater source.
Naganakulam tank receives its supply when water is released into Periyar Main Canal. Most of its ayacut area has now transformed into flats. Water is diverted to the tank to ensure that it recharges the groundwater table. It is also being considered by Madurai Corporation as a drinking water source.
Executive Engineer of Periyar Vaigai Division of PWD T. Subramanian says the storage capacity of the tank is currently 17 mcft. Water is available this year even during peak summer as the tank has been deepened.
V. Rangaraj, president of Narayanapuram Residents’ Welfare Association, says they have registered their objection with the NHAI and the PWD. “The NHAI engineers explained that construction for the Central project has already begun. They also told us that the project would do more good than harm for the people,” he said.
He, along with other residents and student volunteers, has been in charge of tank maintenance for at least four years now. The president strongly believes that there will surely be an impact on water availability in the area, which does not get regular supply from the Corporation.
Former councillor P. Sasikumar too says he has raised objections against this project but the department has not chosen to react.
A senior NHAI official, on the condition of anonymity, says they are only constructing a retaining wall along the slope of the earthen bund. The concrete retaining wall will be stronger than the existing bund.
However, since the encroachment is 10 feet into the tank, there will be an obvious dip in the overall storage capacity, argue residents like Mr. Rangaraj.
Mr. Subramanian says that the tank already has sufficient storage and that it will not be further deepened. “The NHAI is also constructing a park as part of the beautification project,” he adds.